mum's the word

mum's the word

English

Etymology

From mum (“silence”). Recorded since 1704.

Pronunciation

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Phrase

mum's the word

1. (idiomatic) The accompanying facts are a secret, not to be divulged.
   • 1879, Anna Katharine Green, The Leavenworth Case: A Lawyer's Story, G. P. Putnam's Sons, page 256:

     … and that mum is the word till I give you liberty to speak

Translations

the accompanying facts are a secret

Catalan: muts i a la gàbia (ca) Chinese: Mandarin: 保密 (zh) (bǎomì) Dutch: mondje dicht

French: motus et bouche cousue (fr) Italian: acqua in bocca Russian: об э́том ни гугу́ (ob étom ni gugú), об э́том молчо́к (ob étom molčók)

See also

• breathe a word